Saturday 6 July 2019

Book Bingo - Round 14 #BookBingo


Book Bingo is a reading challenge hosted by Theresa Smith Writes , Mrs B’s Book Reviews and The Book Muse. Every second Saturday, book bingo participants reveal which bingo category they have read and what book they chose. 

This week I have chosen the category 'A book set on the Australian coast'.




Book set on the Australian coast.

For this category I have chosen Sixty Seconds which is set in the town of  Murwillumbah on the NSW Far North Coast.

A family moves to this coastal town to start a new life but it isn't long before their life is changed forever. This is a compelling family drama that came across as very real and also heartbreaking. 

You can read my full review of Sixty Seconds here



#BookBingo2019 


 

Friday 5 July 2019

Winner of The Monster Catchers eBook announced

A big thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway for an ecopy of The Monster Catchers . The giveaway closed on 2nd July and the winner was randomly selected (using Random org) from all correct entries. 

Congratulations to..


  Renee Grandinetti

Your eBook will be sent directly to you by Smith Publicity.

Please see my Giveaway tab for more chances to win great books.


 

Thursday 4 July 2019

Book Review: A Nearly Normal Family by M.T. Edvardsson

A Nearly Normal Family
by
M. T. Edvardsson
translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles


Publisher: Pan Macmillan Aus
Publication date: 25th June 2019
Pages: 480
RRP: $29.99AUD
Format read: paperback
Source: Courtesy of the publisher 


Nineteen-year-old Stella stands accused of the brutal murder of a man almost fifteen years her senior. She is an ordinary teenager from an upstanding local family. What reason could she have to know a shady businessman, let alone to kill him?

Stella’s father, a pastor, and mother, a criminal defense attorney, find their moral compasses tested as they defend their daughter, while struggling to understand why she is a suspect. Told in an unusual three-part structure, A Nearly Normal Family asks the questions: How well do you know your own children? How far would you go to protect them?




A Nearly Normal Family is a twisty tale of deception and lies. Set in Lund, Sweden it is a gripping legal drama written in the Nordic Noir tradition.

Stella Sandell is accused of murder and as she sits in a cell awaiting trial her parents fumble, lie, take matters into their own hands, quarrel and fall apart. But mostly they question themselves. Did their parenting lead to this day?

The story is told in three parts giving the point of view of the father, a pastor, the mother, a defense attorney and the daughter, Stella.

The father: he will do anything to save his daughter, maybe even lie. Throughout he questions himself. Was he a good father? Did he do enough for Stella? Did he do too much?
I found the father’s narration a bit long and slow. He was so deeply concerned with what people would think and how he’d failed. He was worn down by cares and moral dilemmas.

Stella: Stella’s story is told in alternating present tense, in jail, and past tense, what led up to her arrest. Stella had such a commanding voice in the story and I really became to feel for her and understand her. She had a compulsion for action that she couldn’t control.

The mother: we don’t get much insight into the mother before this and she comes across as bitter and distant. Her part of the story is mainly the court case which is very intense and dramatic.

Edvardsson has used some very clever plotting feeding out small, disjointed pieces of information causing the reader to make their own assumptions by filling in the gaps. This had me changing my opinion again and again. The mystery kept me enthralled and I never guessed the twists upon twists. I was quite shocked by the ending.

Recommended for readers of family dramas and legal dramas.

A special mention to Rachel Willson-Broyles for such a smooth, faultless translation. 


                          🌟🌟🌟🌟1/2



 My rating    4.5/5


Content: Minimal coarse  language
                 mentions of rape




Photo credit: Goodreads

M. T. Edvardsson is a writer and teacher from Trelleborg, Sweden.

He is the author of three previous novels and two books for young readers. Edvardsson lives with his family in Löddeköpinge, Sweden.  













 

Tuesday 2 July 2019

Book Review: The Eyes of Tamburah by Maria V Snyder

The Eyes of Tamburah
by
Maria V Snyder

Publisher: Harper Collins
Imprint: HQ Young Adult
Publication date: 17th June 2019
Series: Archives of the Invisible Sword #1
Pages: 512
RRP: $19.99AUD
Format read: ARC - uncorrected proof
Source: Courtesy of the publisher 


'He thinks you are the thief...'

Shyla is a researcher who resides in the underground desert city of Zirdai, which is ruled by the wealthy Water Prince and brutal Heliacal Priestess. Even though Shyla is sun-kissed - an outcast, considered cursed by the Sun Goddess - she is still renowned for uncovering innumerable archaic facts, lost artefacts, ancient maps, and obscure historical documents. Her quiet life is about to change when Banqui, an archaeologist, enlists her services to find The Eyes of Tamburah: legendary gemstones that bestows great magic to its wielder. These ancient objects can tip the balance of power and give whoever possesses them complete control of the city.

But chaos erupts when The Eyes are stolen soon after they're found - and Shyla is blamed for the theft. Forced to flee, with the Prince's soldiers and the Priestess' deacons on her trail, Shyla must recover the jewels and clear her name. A quest that will unearth secrets even more valuable than The Eyes of Tamburah themselves..




The Eyes of Tamburah is a fast paced fantasy and the first in a new series by Maria V Snyder.

Shyla is a sun-kissed, the name given to babies born with pale-yellow hair. These babies, believed cursed, are left in the desert to die. Shyla is saved and raised by monks until she turns 18 and chooses to reside in the city. She is shunned by the other citizens of Zirdai and spends most of her time in her room. She manages to find work reading maps and transcribing ancient tablets in order to locate lost artifacts.

Snyder starts with explanations of the world the story is set in. Zirdai is an extensive underground city built on many levels which is necessary to escape the searing heat of the desert.

When the eyes of Tamburah, believed to bestow magic and their owner, are uncovered and subsequently stolen Shyla’s only friend Banqui is imprisoned and unless Shyla finds the eyes he will be put to death.

The story includes plenty of action and danger. Shyla is a strong-willed woman who can hold her own in a confrontation. She soon finds that she can trust no one as she is double crossed many times and her eyes are open to many things happening in the city she was unaware of. With this awareness comes an awakening of a new purpose to her life.

The majority of the story is high on action and very low on fantasy elements which may not appeal to hard core fantasy readers. The story gets a little dark towards the end with talk of torture and sacrifice although there is a small romance introduced and the occasional light-hearted banter keeps the story from becoming too intense. We get a few glimpses of the magic I’m hoping to see more of in the next book.

The Eyes of Tamburah was an easy read and I was totally caught up in the whole world of Zirdai. There are plenty of evil people to despise and Shyla’s character development was well executed.

Recommended for ages 12+ 
Content: mentions of torture
                 mild viloence

                          🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 
 
My rating   5/5


Photo credit: Goodreads

Meteorologist turned novelist, Maria's been writing since she was bored at work and needed something creative to do. Over a dozen novels later, Maria's been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a half-dozen awards, and has earned her Master's degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University where she's now a faculty member. As a frequent workshop presenter and speaker for various conferences, Maria enjoys helping other writers. She also has a blast creating new worlds where horses and swords rule, 'cause let's face it, they're cool, although she's been known to trap her poor characters in a giant metal cube and let them figure out how to get out.



  

 

Monday 1 July 2019

Mailbox Monday - July 1st


Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog. Head over and check out other books received during the last week. 

Happy Monday! 

We are now into mid winter here in Australia. Some states have been receiving quite a bit of coastal rain (not much inland where it is needed) but Sydney has not seen much rain in the last few months and we are now on level 1 water restrictions. 
I spent last Saturday outside in the garden, in temperatures of 19°C, reading The Ex by Nicola Moriarty. It was a perfect winter's day reading the perfect thriller.

June was National Scoliosis Month and I had planned to write a post about scoliosis and the scoliosis warriors Facebook group I am a member of. However the time slipped away and here it is July already. Scoliosis affects everyone differently and the group is a good support for those that have recently been told they have scoliosis and also long term sufferers. I still hope to write up a post some time in the future.



Books  received during the past week.


 From the publisher for review

Don't Let the Beasties Escape This Book by Julie Berry
Publication date:  10th September 2019

Godfrey, a peasant boy who works for the lord and lady of the castle, finds a bestiary, or illustrated book of beasts, on the way to do his chores one morning. He begins inventing his own story, placing “Sir Godfrey” at the center of numerous heroic deeds. Sir Godfrey battles a lion, tames a unicorn, defeats a griffin, conquers a bonnacon, and triumphs over a dragon. Godfrey does not realize that each time he says the name of an animal, it magically emerges from the book, causing mayhem and inadvertently accomplishing his chores. The laughs pile up and the tension mounts: When will Godfrey realize that all this outrageous stuff is going on?

Dot is drawn to any book when the title has "Don't"  in it so I know she will love this story.

My purchases

The Ex by Nicola Moriarty (The Ex Girlfriend in US)
Publication date: 17th June 2019

Girl meets boy. They fall in love. 
There's just one problem...
She wants him back. She wants you gone.
Luke is The One. After everything she's been through, Georgia knows she deserves someone like him, to make her feel loved. Safe.
The only problem is his ex-girlfriend. Luke says Cadence is having trouble moving on. She texts Luke all the time and leaves aggressive notes on Georgia's car.
Georgia starts to feel afraid. But she decides to confront Cadence ... and that's when things get interesting.

I've been reading so much about this book that I had to rush out and purchase a copy. I read it over the weekend and it is fabulous. My review will be posted during the week sometime.


What Books did your postman deliver, or you downloaded, this week?

Post a link to your Mailbox Monday or simply list your books in the comments below.
   




 

Sunday 30 June 2019

Storybook Corner Book Review: Hide and Seek Little Chameleon (Children's Picture Book)


Hide and Seek Little Chameleon
by
Anita Bijsterbosch

Publisher: Clavis Publishing
Publication date: 15th May 2019
Pages: 18
Format Read: eBook
Source: Courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley

Little Chameleon loves to play hide-and-seek. He knows a few special hiding tricks. Will you help look for Little Chameleon?

A cheerful seek-and-find book filled with colors, numbers, and animal friends. For toddlers ages 30 months and up, with a focus on the child's language development.




Mummy chameleon and little chameleon are playing hide and seek.
Help mummy find little chameleon as he hides and changes colour to blend into his surroundings.

While you are looking for little chameleon each page features a different colour. There are other insects and animals to find; one red spider, two red ladybugs.

As the hide and seek game progresses through different colours the story introduces different animals and the sound they make plus the number of objects to find increases from 1 through to 10. Each page ends with the question: But...... where is little chameleon?

This is a gorgeously illustrated children’s book suitable for ages 2+ which introduces and reinforces colour and counting with a fun repetition to the end of each page. Further education can be made with older children by discussing the way chameleons can change colour to blend into the surroundings just as little chameleon has done.



                             🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟



Rated by Dot & Jay   5/5
We decided to colour our own chameleon and what better colour for our chameleon than all the colours of the rainbow.